Underhood record holder



Jan. 19, 1937. E. H. souTER UNpERHooD RECORD HOLDER Filed May-i1, 1936 vll/111111111111 BY /f/ )l ATTORNEYS,

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Patented Jan. i9, i937 UNDERHO 0D RECORD HOLDER Eugene H. Senter, Independence, Mo.

Application May 11, 1936, Serial No. 79,073y

7 Claims.

This invention relates to record holders of the character employed in the automotive industry for keeping data concerning oil changes, gasoline consumption, greasing and the like, and the primary object of the invention is the provision of a holder that is specially and uniquely formed and constructed particularly for suspension beneath the hood of the automobile so that the information appearing on the record card will be at once available to the automobilist or servicing attendant when the hood is lifted.

One of the important aims of this invention is to provide an underhood record holder, having as a part thereof, a sheet of transparent material, preferalcnly in the form of glass, behind which is presented a card pocket of such form and nature that the record card may be moved to and from position within the pocket without diiiiculty and without soiling the face' of the card which bears data viewable through the transparent sheet while the holder is clamped in position on one of the conventional tie rods usually present beneath the automobile hood.

A yet further object of this invention is` to provide a record holder lfor automobiles that has special means for supporting the holder in position; unique and novel frame formation for securely maintaining a sheet of glass in position against edgewise movement as well as against lateral displacement and a specially contoured, overhanging marginal edge that allows securely clamping the aforesaid sheet of glass in position without the possibility of breaking such sheet during Athe assembling operation.

Heretofore record holders of the general char acter of the one contemplated by this invention have been formed of fabric or metal in such fashion as to require the introduction of the sheet of transparent material after the frame or holder was completely finished, said sheet of material being slipped into position and there clamped or allowed to remain comparatively loose so that there was always present the danger of cracking.

This invention contemplates the formation of a record card holder as a unit and the association of the sheet of transparent material directly with the metallic frame during the actual manufacture of the holder itself. After the holder has been assembled at the factory, the glass therein cannot be removed without completely destroying the frame and the unitary holder must remain completely assembled, with the exception of the record card per se, after it leaves the assembly line.

(Cl. llil-16) cross sectional view, taken along line V-V of Fig. 1, and,

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary, sectional view, taken through a portion of the frame and a part of the glass, showing the latter in place `with a portion of the former in position for permitting the introduction of the glass and immediately prior to forcing the retaining portion of the frame into place.

This underhood record holder is specially made for hanging upon one of the tie rods 8 which usually is present beneath the hood of an automobile and extends from the radiator shell rearwardly to a part of the cowl or dividing bottom therebeneath. The record card ill which is associated with the holder is made available without entering the passenger compartment of the automobile and when the car is being serviced, the data on card i may be viewed as soon as the hood of the automobile is lifted and without manipulating the holder.

In the manufacture of a record holder which embodies the salient features of this invention, metal should be employed, and While the preferred form is herein illustrated as being created of sheet material, it is conceivable that other types of construction may be utilized without departing from the broader concepts of the invention. y i

Referring to the drawing will readily indicate that the frame of the holder comprises a circumscribing member that is stepped in` cross sectional contour. A wall l2 closes one side rof this frame and a sheet of transparent material isi is held by the frame in spaced, substantially parallel relation to wall i2 so that card i may be positioned therebetween. The distance between wall i2 and sheet ill is greater than the thickness of card I@ and this distance is maintained as illustrated in Fig. 4. A pocket I6 is presented for the reception of card it and a slot i8, slightly longer than card l0, is pro-vided in one stretch of the circumscribing frame so that card IG may be introduced and removed from said pocket I6. The width of card I0 is somewhat greater than the distance across pocket I6 so that a small marginal portion of the card is always projecting from the pocket through slot I8, to the end that the card may not be caught Within the pocket and its removal therefore rendered diilicult.

Specifically referring to the cross sectional form of the frame which supports sheet I4. Wall I2 has an offset margin 20 and a laterally disposed shoulder 22 extending around the edges thereof which contribute to the formation of pocket I 6 and to the effective support of sheet I4. A wall 24 projects laterally from the outer edge of the offset margin of wall I2 in planes substantially parallel to laterally disposed shoulder` 22 and to a point well beyond the outer face of sheet I4. of sheet I4 and precludes edgewise displacement of the sheet.

To complete the frame, a rebent ilange is provided along the extended edge of wall 24 that is not fully developed until after sheet i4 has been moved to position as exemplied in Fig. 6. During the construction of the holder, after such placement of sheet I4, flange 26 has a portion thereof forced down from the location illustrated in Fig. 6 to the operative position shown in Figs. 4 and 5. A portion of flange 26 is on the outer side of wall 24 or along a side thereof opposite from sheet I4 so that a squeezing action may take place for the purpose of drawing the inwardly inclined marginal edge 28 down against the outer face of sheet I4. A portion of flange 26 will, therefore, be rebent upon itself, and as much pressure as desired may be applied to the rebent portion without in any manner injuriously affecting sheet I4. In so forcing together the rebent portion of flange 26, marginal edge 28 will be' drawn down against sheet I4 and will bear thereagainst along a line spaced inwardly from the edges thereof, which line is substantially opposed to the inner edge of offset margin 2,0 of wall I2 or the laterally disposed shoulder 22. Offset margin 20 is inclined outwardly from its innermost edge so as to bear against sheet I4 only along a line opposed to edge 28.

There will always be a certain amountof inherent resiliency in any material from which the frame is constructed, and because of the narrow-line Contact between marginal edge 28 and sheet I4, and the ability of said marginal edge to yield, sheet I4 will be positively and effectively maintained in the assembled position without danger of binding or cracking and any rough usage that might otherwise fracture sheet I4 will be overcome.

Unique supporting members for affixing the holder to tie rod 8 are made integral with the holder frame and are formed by stamping members 39 from wall I2.

Members 3D have a length substantially the same as the width of wall I2 and, therefore, are long enough to be rebent upon themselves or curled around a tie rod 8, as taught by Fig. 2. A series of holes 32 are created in members 30 so that a bolt 34 or analogous fastening means may be passed through opposed holes 32 for the purpose of clamping members 30 about rod 8. After bolt 34 has been moved to position, that portion of supporting members 30 directly adjacent wall I2 may be bent to dispose the frame at any desired angle.

This wall 24 bears against the edges Strengthening ribs 36 and 38 should be pressed in wall I2 to lend rigidity thereto and a central opening 4I] is provided in wall I2 so that card I0 may be engaged when it is desired to withdraw it from pocket I6.

The foregoing description not only sets down the manner in which an unique structure is created, but also indicates that a record card holder when made in accordance with this inventionmay present a rigid and substantial appearance that is neat and pleasing to the eye.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. A record holder of the kind described comprising a case; a card removably housed by said case; and a plurality of supporting members integral with the said case, said case having a circumscribing frame having an open side, a wall closing the other side of said frame, a sheet of transparent material across the said open side, and a continuo-fus, laterally extending shoulder around the edges of said wall, havingA a slot formed through one stretch thereof, to form a pocket between the Wall and sheet of transparent material, said card being disposed within said pocket and extending therefrom through said slot.

2. In a record holder of the kind described comprising a circumscribing frame having an open side; a wall closing the other side of said frame; a sheet of transparent material across the said open side in spaced relation to the wall to form a card housing; and a supporting member for the holder pressed from the said wall, said supporting member having a length substantially the same as the width of the said wall and provided with a series of holes, certain of said holes having a clamping member projecting therethrough when the supporting member is rebent upon itself around a rod or the like.

' 3. A record holder of the kind described comprising a circumscribing frame having an open side; ai wall closing the other side of said frame; a sheet of transparent material extending across the open side of said frame in spaced parallel relation with said wall, said frame being provided with a slot along one side thereof between the wall and sheet of transparent material to co-operate with said wall and sheet of transparent material in forming a card-receiving pocket; an inturned flange overhanging said sheet of transparent material at the edges thereof in spaced relation thereto; and an inwardly directed marginal edge formed on said ilange gripping the said sheet along a line spaced inwardly from the edges thereof.

4. A record holder of the kind described comprising a circumscribing frame having an open side; a Wall closing the other side of said frame, said frame being stepped in cross sectional contour; a sheet of transparent material extending across the frame and supported by one of the steps intermediate the sides of said frame; al flange around the edge of said frame o-verhanging said sheet of transparent material at the edges thereof and projecting outwardly beyond the edges of said sheet and the stepped portion of said frame engaging the edges of said sheet, said flange being formed by rebending the material of the frame upon itself; and an inwardly directed marginal edge formed on said nange engaging the said sheet of transparent material along a line spaced inwardly from the edge thereof.

Cil

5. A record holder of the kind. described comprising a frame having an open side; a Wall closing the other side of the frame, said wall having anoffset margin and a laterally disposed shoulder extending around the edge thereof; ai sheet of transparent material extending across the frame, bearing upon the offset margin of said wall and held in spaced parallel relation to the remaining portion of said wall by thel said laterally disposed shoulder, a length of said shoulder along one edge of said wall being provided with a slot co-operating with the spacedapart wall and sheet of transparent material in forming an open top pocket for the reception of a record card; a Wall forming a part of said frame, extending laterally from the other edge of said offset margin in a plane parallel with the planes of said rst mentioned laterally disposed shoulder, said wall bearing against thel edges of said sheet of transparent material to preclude edgewise displacement; a flange formed around the outer edge of said wall extending to each side thereof in a plane parallel with the said transparent sheet; and an inwardly inclined marginal edge formed on the said Iiange engaging the said sheet of transparent material along a line spaced inwardly from thei edges thereof substantially opposite the innermost edge of the offset margin of the said wall.

6. A record holder of the kind described com,- prising a frame having an open side; a wall closing the other side of theframe, said Wall having an oiset margin and a laterally disposed shoulder extending around the edge thereof; a sheet of transparent material extending across the frame, bearing upon the oiiset margin of said wall and held in spaced parallel relation to the remaining portion of said wall by the said laterally disposed shoulder, a length of said shoulder along one edge of said wall being prolvided with a slot co-operating with the spacedapart wall and sheet of transparent material in forming an open top pocket for the reception of a record card; a wall forming a part of said frame, extending laterally from the other edge of said oiset margin in a plane parallel with the planes of said first mentioned laterally disposed shoulder, said Wall bearing against the edgesof said sheet of transparent material to preclude edgewise displacement; a flange formed around the outer edge of said wall extending to each side thereof in a plane parallel with the said transparent sheet; and an inwardly in- @lined marginal edge formed on the said flange engaging the said sheet of transparent material along a line spaced inwardly from the edges thereof substantially opposite the innermost edge of the oiset margin of the said wall, the said flange being in continuation of said wall and rebent upon itself along that portion outside of the wall to present an overhanging, yieldable, retaining means for the sheet of transparent material.

7. A record holder of the kind described comprising a circumscribing frame having an open side; a wall closing the other side of said frame; said frame being stepped in cross sectional contour; a sheet of transparent material extending across the frame supported by one of the steps intermediate the sides of the frame; a flange around the edge of said frame overhanging said sheet of transparent material at the edges thereof in opposed relation to the step supporting said sheet; and an inwardly directed marginal edge formed o-n said flange engaging the said. sheet of transparent material along a line spaced inwardly from the edge thereof; the step supporting the sheet of transparent material being inclined outwardly from the innermost edge thereof, said innermost edge being in opposed relation to the inwardly directed marginal edge formed on said flange whereby the marginal edge of said transparent material is in spaced relation to said supporting step and overhanging flange.

, EUGENE H. SOUTER. 

